


The Boy and His God

by still_shipping_at_the_gallows



Series: The Boy and His God [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Church AU, Complete AU, Dipper will be twelve for a while, First fanfiction!, God Bill AU, I'm really used to writing PWP so this is a big change for me, I'm reeeeeally open for suggestions and critiques, M/M, Other, Slow Burn, don't worry everything will be ok, eventually, heavy religious influence, i'm gonna need a lot of outside help with this, like the slowest i've ever done, no joke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 15:15:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3982867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/still_shipping_at_the_gallows/pseuds/still_shipping_at_the_gallows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Father Cipher's eyes met his, straight and unwavering.<br/>"Dipper, would you like to go home?"</p>
<p>Done with the constant changing of foster homes, orphan Dipper decides to run away from his current family and into the dangerous wood of Gravity Falls. Following an accident in said woods, Dipper finds himself in the care of two priests who run a large church everybody and nobody knows about. He is faced with a decision; return to his old life, or live with the two priests and become an altar boy apprentice. </p>
<p>(actual romance won't occur until waaaay later, sorry)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Savior

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my first fanfiction to be posted on here! I hope you enjoy this little project, and critisim is welcome and appreciated!  
> Follow me on my tumblr at http://xxsleepygamersxx.tumblr.com/ and shoot me a prompt- art, writing, or otherwise!

Heavy breaths filled the air alongside the cracking of twigs as Dipper sprinted through the unfamiliar wood. He leaned against a tree, gripping it desperately as he swallowed one lungful of air after another in a vain attempt to regain his breath. There was a howl not far off to his right and he wasted no time breaking back into a sprint in the opposite direction. His legs were going numb beneath him and he both cursed and prayed to whatever deity may be listening to let him lose these… creatures. Splashing through a shallow creak, Dipper briefly recalled every factor of how he had gotten into this mess to begin with.

He was an orphan. Had been since he was five. By the age of 12 he was already through with the constant changing of homes, the being ripped away from good families and liberated from the not-so-good ones. So, in his youthful wisdom, he figured that if he ran away from his current family, they couldn’t take him away again because he wouldn’t be there to be taken. Now he was facing the harsh consequences of poor judgement; at first simply being lost in the woods that surrounded his current family’s property, but this had quickly descended into running for his life at top speeds from creatures that were the stuff of nightmares. He had had confidence in his ability to outrun the creatures in the beginning, but now that he was certain he was thoroughly lost and nowhere near any sort of civilization, his confidence waned - replaced by the increasing realization that his chances for outrunning these things were slim. Even so, Dipper was nothing if not stubborn, and he planned to keep running until his legs gave out or he found safely, and that was that.  
There was a shriek that sounded far too close for comfort, and Dipper stifled a scream and willed his numb legs to move quicker. Pounding footsteps drew closer, and the brunette boy swore he felt hot breath on his back.

Turns out, he wasn’t wrong. Teeth snapped at his collar, tearing at his hair and the fabric of his turtleneck. Dipper finally allowed himself a scream as fangs sunk into his arm and yanked him back. He and the pursuing creature went flying in a heap of child and snapping predator, and Dipper felt the world shift as the ground fell away beneath him.

The boy and the creature exploded apart upon impact with the ground, the creature letting out a pained howl as it tried to regain its own footing. Dipper shook out his limbs, aware of his bleeding arm, and used this delay to make a break for it. The creature was back to pursuing him within heartbeats, and he cursed, cradling his injured arm as he ran.

When the beast tackled him again, Dipper was nearly ready to concede defeat. They went rolling once more, over bushes and tree roots, and Dipper kicked out in one last ditch effort to free himself. He managed to unbalance the creature through sheer luck, and as a result of the movement he was backpedaling once more down an incline. This time, there were no bushes to break his fall, and Dipper couldn’t seem to break past the haze of shock in his head as he landed, couldn’t so much as bring himself to move.

There was a howl above him. Two red eyes glared through the trees, and the creature burst through, jaws open unnaturally wide as dark saliva dripped from its jowls.

There was a harsh crack as the creature was suddenly repelled. It whined loudly, then lunged for Dipper again, only to be met with the same fate. He watched, breath frozen, as the creature rammed itself again and again against the invisible wall, producing a reaction not unlike a bug zapper shocking a mosquito.

“What in the name of The One is going on?!” There was a voice behind Dipper, and he turned his head, only just then noticing he had stumbled onto someone’s property; there was a building not far off, and many of the windows were lit. How far had he run?

“Hey? Kid?” The person was suddenly in front of Dipper, hands on his shoulders and shaking him gently. “Kid, you’re bleeding! C'mon, you need to get something on that.” Dipper opened his mouth, but no sound seemed to want to come out.

When Dipper didn’t reply, the man rolled his eyes - was it just him or were they just a bit too bright in the dark? - and picked the boy up, whirling around towards the building he must’ve came from. The man muttered a few words, and suddenly the howls as shrieks were cut off abruptly. Dipper his his face in the man’s shoulder, his eyes damp from an intense mixture of relief and shock and lingering fear .

“Hey, hey, it’s ok,” the man murmured soothingly, gently patting Dipper’s back, as he climbed the steps into the building. “We’re gonna get you fixed up. Get that arm bandaged, then everything will be ok, alright?”

Dipper could only manage a small nod as a sudden wave of fatigue caught up to him and he fell into unconsciousness.


	2. Father Cipher

Dipper blinked blearily up at the ceiling of a room he wasn’t familiar with, shifting under the covers, attempting to sit up. He gasped as his body resisted his will with a sharp jolt of pain that coursed from his legs to his arms - his right in particular, - and he squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tide of fire to subside. Sweat caused his clothes to stick uncomfortably to his body, and Dipper stared resolutely back up towards the ceiling once more, finding acute interest in the cracked paint. He wondered how he got there, reflecting the past night’s events.

He was running away, then found himself running for his life. He remembered the creatures chasing him with a shudder, then painfully recalled the fall and the bite to his arm. That was probably why it hurt as bad as it did. But what happened after that? He remembered another fall, then… the creatures had stopped chasing him. Why had they? Wasn’t there some sort of barrier? Maybe he had gotten lucky and fell through a gap in an electrical fence or something. But then, someone had approached him, and picked him up. They offered safety, and who could he have denied it then? But, if this was in fact safety, where was this?

“Oh? It seems the stray pup has finally woken up.” A voice from the doorway to his right caused Dipper to turn his head slowly, eyes struggling to focus more than a few feet ahead of him. A lone figure stood against the doorframe, that much he could make out. There were footsteps as the person approached, and Dipper found himself vaguely recognizing the voice, but struggling to recall.

“You gave the congregation quite a scare, you heathen.” The tone was light, and fingers threaded lightly through Dipper’s bangs, and the boy found himself leaning into the comforting touch. “They had to end service early so the priests could tend to you.” So Dipper had stumbled across a church?

“Did… Did you save me, Mister…?” Dipper rasped, vaguely surprised at how weak his voice sounded. He swallowed thickly at the chuckle that answered.  
“Saved is quite a… heroic term, young one. I’d say it was the church that saved you; monsters like the ones you were running from can’t come onto holy ground. You saved yourself, really.”

Dipper stared dumbly at the man, straining to focus on his face. For some reason, he just had to see it. Had to know the face of his sort-of-but-kinda-not saviour. But his eyes were getting horribly heavy, and he found it hard enough to stay awake as it was.

“Sir… still, thank you… I, uh, what-what is your name again?”

He could hear the smile in the man’s voice as he replied, “You may call me Father Cipher, and I’m a priest of the Church of The Grand Eye.”  
Another pass of Cipher’s fingers across his forehead, and Dipper slipped into the tight grip of unconsciousness.  
*******

“What should we do with him?”  
Bill blinked slowly, casting a glance down the hall to where their guest hopefully continued to sleep. His thumb grazed a small piece of wood in his pocket for a moment, though he shook his head, turning back to sit down at the conference table.

“The poor kid just nearly escaped an encounter with a pack of hungry werepires by the skin of his teeth, Tad. We have to at least make sure he isn’t infected.” Bill’s eyebrows furrowed together. “What intrigues me is the fact that he came from the rear end of the property; you know there isn’t anything in that direction for at least five or six miles. But there’s no way he ran for that long. They would’ve caught him long before he reached any blessed ground.”

“I’ve never seen him in town before,” Tad added with a shake of his head. “And from what I’ve heard, there haven’t been any recent move-ins.”

“He could be a runner,” Bill mused with a hum, leaning his chair back on two legs. “Ran away from his parents. Figured he’d live in the woods by himself.” Bill’s eyes darkened and he gave a dry chuckle. “But what he wasn’t aware of was the fact that the woods in this town are filled with the supernatural and mythical all the legends tell of and then more.”

Tad rolled his eyes, standing up with a swish of his robes. “Before you get too busy entertaining yourself with your monologue, Cipher, we really need to figure out where this kid came from so we can get him where he belongs.”  
Bill shook his head, standing as well. “We’re going to wait until he wakes up again and I check that arm, though. Not before.”

Tad stared at Bill for a long moment, lavender eyes calculating. Finally he nodded. “Do as you see fit. But I do not want a child here for longer than necessary. They have a bad habit of sticking their noses where they don’t belong.”

“Very well.”

Watching Tad leave, Bill plucked the crude wooden charm from his pocket that the kid had dropped, running his thumb over its rugged surface. It vaguely resembled one of the many pine trees that grew in this region, and he clutched it tight. 

Despite Tad’s order, something told him Pine Tree’s appearance wasn’t chance, and that he would in fact be staying for a long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of the prelude! :D Actual plot will now commence!


	3. Infinite

The next time Dipper opened his eyes, the light that filtered through the curtains on the far side of his room was something akin to pastel pink. Heaving a huge yawn, he looked down to his arm, which had since been wrapped in a sling. Had Father Cipher done that while he was asleep?

Sitting up - noting there was significantly less effort compared to the first time - Dipper looked around the room, taking in the details for the first time. There was a small nightstand next to his bed that supported an elegant lamp, and on the far side of the room next to the window was an antique-looking dresser. The wallpaper was a pattern of pastel yellow and dark gold triangles, the walls themselves were decorated with small paintings, and something that resembled a cross was fixed above the door.

"Oh, I wouldn't have guessed you'd have woken up so early."

Dipper started, head whipping up and facing the doorway. Father Cipher leaned against the frame, hands buried beneath the folds of his sleeves. Dipper swallowed and nodded, looking down at his bandages and absently picking at the gauze with a fingernail.

"I've always been an early bird," Dipper gave a soft smile, coining the term from one of his many foster siblings - his favorite, in fact. Mabel was the kindest out of all the other kids he'd been stuck with, and she was always more than happy to share what she had with him. The memory warmed his heart, and he smiled brighter.

He hadn't realized that Father Cipher had approached until he was jerked out of his reverie by the sound of a chair scooting against the wooden floor. Dipper took a moment to study the man as he sat down, eyes flicking over his figure. He was of average height, maybe in his early twenties, with dark skin that contrasted sharply against the muted yellow and gold robes he donned. His hair was a rich shade of blond - it had to be natural, too, since Dipper could see the blond in his eyelashes - that somehow managed to look both tussled and neat at the same time. With the glance to his face, Dipper saw the perfectly applied eyeliner that circled the priest's stormy blue eyes - nothing like he'd ever seen before; thick around his upper eyelid, a single streak that stretched to his cheek and looped around and another that came from the corners of his eyes and ended in sharp points - like he was imitating something. All in all, he definitely looked like he belonged in this place. And Dipper had only seen a single room.

Once sat down, Father Cipher separated his arms from underneath his sleeves, revealing a wrap of clean gauze and a bottle that was only half full with some sort of blue substance. With a hum, he rested the items on the nightstand and turned toward Dipper, lacing his fingers.

"How are you doing this morning, child?" His voice was high pitched and just bordered nasally, but Dipper found it to be comforting in a way he couldn't explain.

"I'm OK, I think," Dipper glanced down to his arm. "I'm not hurting as bad - my arm's still a little achey, though." 

Father Cipher nodded, looking sympathetic. "After an ordeal like that, I'm surprised you're talking yet. Most wouldn't have even recovered from shock." The priest looked thoughtful for a moment, then studied Dipper with an interest that caused the child to shift under his gaze. "So, what's your name, kid?"

Dipper swallowed, beginning to fiddle with his covers and worry at his lip. "My name's... uh... y-you can call me Dipper."

A tilt of the priest's head. "Dipper? What a name."

Dipper blushed and ducked his head. "It's a nickname. Got it after the birthmark on my forehead..."

"May I see?" Father Cipher's tone was curious, and his fingers twitched. "If it's OK, that is."

After a moment's hesitation, Dipper nodded slowly, and lifted his hand to brush his bangs out of the way to reveal the spatter of pigment that formed the shape of the constellation he hated the most. There was a soft noise of awe from the priest, and he gently lifted his hand to trace the design on the pre-teen's forehead. 

"Wow, kid. You must be special to the universe." The blond pulled back with a look of contemplation. "Or maybe the Grand Eye has His sights on you..." Father Cipher blinked, then gave Dipper an apologetic smile. "Sorry. So, uh, how old are you, Dipper?"

Dipper gave the man a look. "I'm twelve and a half," his chest puffed up a bit and Father Cipher looked mostly amused.

"All muscle and testosterone, I bet!" They both shared a laugh, and the rest of the tension melted away. Then the priest's smile flattened out. "So, Dipper, how did you get all the way out here in the middle of Nowheresville, Oregon?" There was a considerable silence, and after a few moments he opened his mouth to ask again, but Dipper beat him to it.

"I...I ran away. I'm an orphan, have been since I was little, and I ran away from my new foster home." A sudden fear sparked in his eyes, and Dipper cast a glance towards the priest. "Are you gonna make me go home?"

Father Cipher sat back with a heavy sigh, puffing out a breath of air as he looked toward the ceiling. "Well, from a legal standpoint, if we kept you it would be kidnapping. As much as I hate to see a kid suffer, we can't just-"

"Please, Father, please!" Dipper cut him off with his plea, holding up his good arm in a gesture of begging. "Don't make me go back there! I'll do anything! Just don't make me go back!" Dipper gripped the covers in an iron grip, tears threatening to spill. After he'd gotten so far! He'd beaten death, outrun those creatures that had nearly killed him. He couldn't go back now! 

The priest groaned, swiping a hand across his face. He looked over to the nightstand and bit his lip, looking conflicted. He pursed his lips, then grabbed the gauze and bottled fluid, leaning over to unwrap Dipper's arm and look at the damage. They were both quiet for a while, Dipper stewing in his own anger and self-pity, while a million and one things were fighting for dominance inside Father Cipher's head. This kid was significant. He held meaning, something obvious that his Lord wanted him to see, but he just couldn't wrap his head around it. And if the Grand Eye thought him important, how was he to keep the kid around? He really wished he'd get some sort of sign in the near future.

The wound wasn't nearly as bad as it had been the day before, and the priest chewed his lip absently as he poured a bit of the bottled liquid onto a cloth and pressed it against the scabbed skin. Dipper hissed in discomfort, almost jerking away but managing to control himself. The liquid burned him not unlike alcohol, and heat raced through his veins the longer it lingered. After a moment, Father Cipher pulled away and began to unwrap the fresh gauze, immediately redressing Dipper's arm. 

There was a heavy silence after the priest disposed of the soiled wraps, both boys seeming to refuse meeting the other's eye.

Finally, "I'm gonna talk to someone about this. I can't guarantee anything, but I'll try my hardest to let you stay here, kid. Alright?"

Dipper's head shot up, and he blinked. "Y-you mean it?"

Father Cipher rubbed the back of his head and nodded. "Yeah. And when you're a bit better, I'll give you the grand tour and everything. Sound good?"

Dipper nodded eagerly, nearly bouncing his his spot. "Yes! Thank you!"

The boy could've sworn an embarrassed blush passed across the priest's dark complexion as he stood to leave, grabbing the bottle and leftover gauze. "Then I'll see you later, kiddo. I'll have someone bring you some books in a bit so you don't get antsy, ok? Until then, try to get some more rest."

"Alright, Father. Thanks." Dipper gave a smile, and the priest nodded and quickly disappeared through the door, closing it behind him.

Maybe things weren't as bleak as Dipper thought they were.


	4. Dissensio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little offensive on the religious side.   
> You've been warned

Bill sighed quietly and walked into the shrine, holding his book and triangular rosary in his hands. He approached the altar of his Lord and bowed low, palms and forehead flat against the marble, murmuring phrases he'd long since memorized. 

"O, my Lord and Knower of the Infinite, grant me thy guidance to lead us further in the pursuit of knowledge..." At once, the air in the room dropped to freezing temperatures. The candles blazed up one by one, then dimmed down for each to flicker into a rich sapphire, giving the surrounding space an odd hue. Bill raised his body into a kneeling position, bringing his hands up to form a triangle in the center of his chest. The color began to bleed out of the room.

A voice spoke, in every language known and unknown to man, and Bill understood.

Speak.

"Please, my Lord, you who hath chose me as thy Disciple, tell me what the newcomer means. He who is branded with Hippopotamus in his soul."

The altar shone and the triangular figure's form blazed with blue fire that held no heat. The eye came to life, revealing the infinite intelligence of its owner. Its pupil focused on Bill.

He is the One. 

"You don't mean...?"

The Eye looked contemplative, lingering on other parts of the shrine as it spoke to Bill in his mind. Finally it came back to rest on him.

Yes. Guide him. Do not fail.

"I will do whatever needs to be dome to accomplish your divine vision, my Lord."

Call upon me when he is threatened. Keep him safe.

"I... I understand, my Lord. My gratitude is eternal. Thank you for allowing me into thy presence."

The Eye closed, and slowly but surely the color began to fade back. Bill sighed and dropped his arms, taking in several deep breaths. He massaged his temples, feeling the usual headache that resulted in directly consulting his God come on. He stood, going over to the candles - now burning the standard orange color - and blew them out one by one. Making sure nothing was left burning, Bill quickly left and shut the door behind him.

*******

"I find it hard to believe the Grand Eye simply gave you the ok for the kid to stay." Tad bit, crossing his arms. Bill sneered.

"Believe what you will, Brother, but I'm simply telling you how it is. I have permission, and I intend to follow through. Surely someone such as yourself, one of His most devout, wouldn't want to go against His word?" Bill raised a brow, folding his own arms. Tad looked incredulous, violet eyes burning.

"It just seems... convenient. Some random kid who appears from the forest coming to stay? And now you're claiming the Grand Eye has taken interest in him?" 

Bill shrugged. "Perhaps it is a part of His plan. Perhaps you shouldn't question it, and just accept it for what it is, like a good little follower."

Tad visibly bristled, and his jaw clenched. "Who the hell do you think you are? Why, I oughta-"

"Ought to what, Brother Strange?" Bill took a step forward, cocking his head to the side. "If I were you, I'd hold my tongue. Don't forget which of the two of us is the favorite here." The blond smirked when Tad matched him with a step backward.

"Just you wait, Cipher," Tad snapped, "When He finally recognizes me as His rightful Prophet, you won't be saying that for long. Then you'll be answering to me!"

"And when that day comes," Bill turned on his heel, his robes flaring, to face the door. "I'll happily do so."

He made sure to slam the door on his way out.

*******

Stars were swirling.

Time was meaningless.

He saw everything.

He knew everything.

But who was he?

Dipper opened his eyes and yawned, stretching out. He looked down toward the book in his lap that one of the priests had brought him earlier. He must've dozed off again. He looked to the windows - the light outside was still quite bright. If he could guess he'd probably say it was about three in the afternoon. Dream forgotten, the twelve year old hopped out of bed and stretched his arm above his head and stood on his toes, heaving another yawn. He bounced on his heels for a minute, pondering on what else he could do to occupy himself while he waited on a final answer from Father Cipher.

Just as he was about to head for the closet door, there was a knock, and none other than the blond priest himself peeked his head in. Dipper turned, eyebrows raised, anxious nearly to the point of nausea.

Father Cipher closed the door behind him and moved to sit on the bed. Dipper joined him immediately, eyes wide. "I guess you can stay, kid."

Dipper could've cheered, but the look the priest sent him just kept him from doing so. He sat straighter and cleared his throat, noting how dry his mouth was. "Really? Wo- thank you, Father!"

Father Cipher nodded slowly, pursing his lip. He leveled a grave look at the younger male. "But you need to understand something, Dipper - this is no game. By staying, it means you become a part of the church, and worship as we do. You're young, however; it shouldn't be too hard for you to renounce whatever faith you follow now."

Dipper swallowed. "I don't... really have one. I don't believe in God."

The priest crossed his arms and nodded. "I can understand why; most major faiths follow Gods that are uncaring and practically useless. But let me assure something to you, kid," he leaned in close, and Dipper forced himself to remain still. "Our God, The Grand Eye, is very much real, and He is far from useless. I'm sure you would agree - seeing as He was the one who saved you from those monsters."

"The... Grand Eye... saved me?" It was a bit outlandish, honestly. Why would a supposed god have any interest in him, some random twelve year old? Dipper resisted the urge to roll his eyes when Father Cipher nodded.

"He did, I assure. I still don't quite understand how or why myself, but I'll let you in on a secret," the priest lowered his voice, "You're very special, Dipper. He has plans for you." He leaned back, and Dipper exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Isn't it a common trope for religions to claim their God has a plan for everyone, though?" Dipper tilted his head. Father Cipher grinned.

"You're a skeptic! That's a good thing, really. Even if you find our God hard to believe in, our belief system centers around finding facts and truth. Knowledge. That's why The Grand Eye is also referred to The Knower of the Infinite. He builds his followers to seek truth and answers hidden to unworthy eyes." The priest informed matter-of-factly. Dipper made a noise of acknowledgement. 

"So, basically, instead of giving the followers a set of rules and beliefs to follow blindly, your god urges people to find their own truth?" Dipper pondered, and the blond's eyes lit up.

"Yes! That's precisely it! You're very observant, Dipper." He praised, and Dipper found himself blushing bright red.

"Well, it's definitely different. I suppose that could be something I could get behind in time." He met Father Cipher's gaze, nodding his head. "Yeah, ok. I'll join your church."

"Awesome!" The priest jumped up, then froze. His cheeks flushed over at the realization of acting like a kid on Christmas, then set back down slowly, coughing into his hand. Dipper suppressed a smile, remembering the priest really couldn't have been that old. Before he could say anything, though, Father Cipher was pulling a chain out of his pocket and pressing it into Dipper's palm. "Here. I was gonna give this back sooner, but it seemed so easily... misplacable. So I attached it to a spare chain. Think of it as a symbol of your new life. Welcome to the Church of the Grand Eye, Brother Pine Tree. My student."

Dipper stared down at the charm, eyes widening. It was the little tree his foster sister Mabel had carved for him before he was put into another home. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, and he gripped it tighter. He hadn't even thought about it these last few days, forgotten he had even shoved it into his pocket in his haste to leave his former home. He slipped it over his head, feeling the dimpled wood rest against his collarbone.

We'll be the Pines kids forever, right, bro-bro?

He smiled, lashes wet, up at the priest. "Thank you, Father. But please, just Pines is ok."

The blond hummed in affirmation. "Brother Pines. It has a good sound to it." They were quiet for a moment, the twelve year old reflecting on his charm and its new meaning, and the priest out of respect for the other.

"Hey, Father," Dipper finally murmured, looking up. "Can I have that tour now?"

*******

"Alright, so this is the congregation room. I'm sure a smart kid like you can gather what happens in here." Father Cipher gestured with a hand toward the room they arrived in first. Dipper's jaw was agape in awe. He knew the church was big but WOW.

The room's ceiling arched up high, and the ceiling itself was adorned with various paintings and decorative beams. There were several rows of pews, and they all led up to a massive altar that stood beneath an idol suspended on the wall. Dipper was especially interested in the idol itself, as it seemed to depict a sort of triangular prism with an eye in the center. Its pupil, though fixed in the middle of the eye, almost seemed to follow him as he and Cipher walked through the aisles to come and stand before idol.

"Is that the Great Eye?" Dipper murmured, tugging on the priest's sleeve and pointing upwards. The older priest nodded.

"Yes! The All-Knowing. You'll get your chance to pray soon enough, though, so let's move on, ok?" The priest motioned for Dipper to follow, and the younger boy didn't hesitate to do so. They went on to the other side of the room, and Cipher led him through a door that opened up into another hallway. All along the walls vines and various designs curled, giving the hall a sort of exotic feel, to Dipper least. Then an idea popped into his head.

"Father?" He tugged on the blond's robe to get his attention. Cipher looked down at him, eyebrow quirked.

"Yes?"

"What's your first name?"

Cipher gave a low chuckle. "Would you feel more comfortable referring to me like that?"

Dipper twiddled his thumbs, looking down. "Maybe? Just a little? I dunno, it just kinda feels like, if we're gonna be spending time together, I could - wait, you are gonna stay with me, right? Because you're the only person here I'm comfortable with at the moment and -"

Cipher laughed and took Dipper by the shoulders, eyes shimmering with mirth. "Of course I'm sticking with you, kid! You ARE my student now! I can't very well just leave you to you own devices." He laughed again, and Dipper felt his cheeks warm from embarrassment. "Hey, my first name's Bill. You wanna call me as such outside sermon, go for it." He stood up, brushing off his knees. "I'm not one much for formalities, anyways. Kinda useless when you know all the church members personally."

"Oh. Right. Thanks, uh, Bill." Dipper sighed in relief. Bill hummed.

"No problem, kid. Now, let's get on our way - I have to lead prayer with the others tonight." He sounded dramatically exasperated as he walked, and Dipper's mouth twitched upwards as he hurried to catch up.


End file.
